To Catch a Treat: A Barkery and Biscuits Mystery

Set in the mountain resort town of Knobcone Heights, Calif., Johnston’s uneven sequel to 2015’s Bite the Biscuit finds baker and vet technician Carrie Kennersly up to her eyeballs in dogs and disaster. Her younger brother, Neal, is interested in the pretty newcomer from Los Angeles, photographer Janelle Blaystone, who’s unhappy because her Labrador retriever, Go, recently disappeared from an L.A. dog park. Fortunately, Go later surfaces at an animal shelter, but the woman believed to be the dognapper turns up murdered. Meanwhile, Carrie’s romantic relationship with veterinarian Reed Storme blossoms, but several other men appear to take an interest in her. What could be a truly fun read for dog lovers suffers from too much repetitive detail about baking, while Carrie endlessly speculates about the possibilities involved in the crimes, to the point of considering virtually everyone a suspect, even Neal. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Creative Media Agency. (May)